Center for Book Arts

Center for Book Arts Founded in 1974, Center for Book Arts is the oldest non-profit dedicated to uplifting the art of the

Polycotyledonous poems by the American poet Jonathan Williams is the 15th broadside in futura, a collection of 26 broads...
08/21/2026

Polycotyledonous poems by the American poet Jonathan Williams is the 15th broadside in futura, a collection of 26 broadsides published and printed by Hansjörg Mayer. Similar to how Mayer was interested in misprints and the margins of printing, Williams was drawn to regional speech, verbal accidents, and overlooked linguistic textures.The word polycotyledonous in the title is a biological word describing a plant with many seed leaves, encapsulating the idea of many shoots from one root. The broadside itself is split into sections each with its own system or logic. For example, one section titled “a range of ranges” functions through pairing an adjective with a mountain range.

If you are interested in learning more about the futura series and Hansjörg Mayer’s inventive broadsides, our exhibition catalog from futura: 26 Broadsides Printed by Hansjörg Mayer is available for purchase at our bookshop and the link below.

https://buff.ly/SCR7hOt

A new "after futura" edition, where 14 contemporary artists create RISO-printed broadsides inspired by the original series, will launch in late September! Please stay tuned for more information on how to collect yours.

08/20/2026

This , we’re looking back at Two Poems by Rachel Hadas, published by Center for Book Arts in 2000.
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This pamphlet-bound chapbook brings together poetry, typography, and bookmaking. The poems were set in Perpetua Monotype by M & H Type and printed letterpress on Arches paper in an edition of 100. The grey printed wrappers feature illustrations from a 1732 edition of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. From the sumptuous paper texture, to the intricate blind impression on the pages, every detail of this work demonstrates the craftsmanship that transforms poems into a book object.
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More than two decades later, Two Poems speaks to CBA’s longstanding approach to publishing: treating the book not simply as a container for writing, but as a space where poetry, design, materials, and collaborative making come together.

While our exhibition, after futura: 26 Broadsides Printed by Hansjörg Mayer, curated by Camilo Otero and Eva Parra (), h...
08/20/2026

While our exhibition, after futura: 26 Broadsides Printed by Hansjörg Mayer, curated by Camilo Otero and Eva Parra (), has ended, we will still be highlighting broadsides from the futura series.

In futura 16, a Japanese scholar of German literature writes 5 poems in his native language, exploring the impact of language before meaning takes hold. The five poems operate in semantic and phonosymbolic registers of Japanese, focusing on themes of color vocabulary, perception, sound, and suffering. The last poem, oto (sound), works through consecutive lighter rolling syllables (koron korokoro) into percussive groups, ending in a (gorogorogorogorogoro): thunder, or something rolling without end.

If you are interested in learning more about the futura series and Hansjörg Mayer’s inventive broadsides, our exhibition catalog from futura: 26 Broadsides Printed by Hansjörg Mayer is available for purchase at our bookshop and the link below.

https://buff.ly/SCR7hOt

A new "after futura" edition, where 14 contemporary artists create RISO-printed broadsides inspired by the original series, will launch in late September! Please stay tuned for more information on how to collect yours.

Project highlights from our Small Press Lab! 📚️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Over the past six weeks, five NYC teens built their bookbinding...
08/19/2026

Project highlights from our Small Press Lab! 📚️
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Over the past six weeks, five NYC teens built their bookbinding and printmaking skills through hands-on workshops, lectures, and connecting with book arts professionals. From collaborative books and personal zines to printed broadsides and flat back hardcovers, this cohort produced these works as part of launching their own small presses.
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These works highlight the craftsmanship that brings a book into being: the precision of a fold, the rhythm of a stitch, the impression of ink on paper, and the many small decisions involved in turning individual pages into a finished object. 🪡

What a Workspace Residency at CBA actually includes: 24/7 keyholder access to our shared studios for six months, storage...
08/18/2026

What a Workspace Residency at CBA actually includes: 24/7 keyholder access to our shared studios for six months, storage, basic supplies and tools, a $1,500 honorarium and a $500 material stipend.

Residents take core classes in bookbinding, letterpress, RISO, and other book related concepts free of charge, and work with staff and visiting curators on professional development, site visits, exhibitions, and public programs.

Swipe through for the full list. Applications for 2027 close September 30.

Apply here: https://buff.ly/5jPClK3

While our exhibition, after futura: 26 Broadsides Printed by Hansjörg Mayer, curated by Camilo Otero and Eva Parra () cl...
08/15/2026

While our exhibition, after futura: 26 Broadsides Printed by Hansjörg Mayer, curated by Camilo Otero and Eva Parra () closed on August 1st, we are continuing to spotlight broadsides from the futura series!

The fourteenth installment of Hansjörg Mayer’s futura series consists of only four italian words arranged across the broadside: “sole” (sun), “solo” (alone/only), “sale” (salt; also third person of salire, to rise), “sono” (I am / they are). The words are laid out so that their forms rise and fall, mirroring their meaning. For instance, the word “sale” dissolves into the letter “s”, representing the dissolution of salt in water.

If you’d like to learn more about the futura series, the exhibition catalog for after futura: 26 Broadsides Printed by Hansjörg Mayer is available for purchase at our bookshop and at the link below.

https://buff.ly/SCR7hOt

A new "after futura" edition, where 14 contemporary artists create RISO-printed broadsides inspired by the original series, will launch in late September! Please stay tuned for more information on how to collect yours.

Wanting to explore the world of bookmaking but don't know where to start? CBA is offering introductory bookmaking classe...
08/14/2026

Wanting to explore the world of bookmaking but don't know where to start? CBA is offering introductory bookmaking classes this fall, including "Bookbinding I: Introduction to Softcover Binding"

Gain the hands-on experience and studio time you have been waiting for in this four-week workshop where beginners will discover the foundations of bookbinding and the art of the handmade book. From pamphlets and accordions to Japanese stab and multi-signature structures, students will fold, sew, and assemble a range of classic softcover book techniques, while gaining confidence in a newfound skill and appreciation for this wonderful art practice. Don't waste any more time and sign up through the link in our bio.

📕 Mondays, September 14th - October 19th, 6PM to 9PM ET
📕 In-person at CBA
📕 $525 + $25 materials fee

Take a look at the newest render of our bookshop renovation at Center for Book Arts! This expansion will triple our shel...
08/13/2026

Take a look at the newest render of our bookshop renovation at Center for Book Arts! This expansion will triple our shelf space, build new reading benches, and add a visitor service desk to welcome you into our studios! 📚️

Please help by sharing this post and donating to our bookshop renovation using this link https://buff.ly/Vd0iFPi ! 📖

Looking to gain a versatile and centuries-old binding technique from the comfort of your computer screen? Scott Mccarney...
08/12/2026

Looking to gain a versatile and centuries-old binding technique from the comfort of your computer screen? Scott Mccarney's virtual workshop "Long Stitch Binding at Home" will instruct students on the ins and outs of long stitch binding, a non-adhesive method that can even be adapted to small edition binding.

In just two sessions, students will learn how to sew a basic long stitch and create a variation where threads are sewn parallel across the spine. Excellent for all levels, from beginners to advanced, long stitch binding is the perfect method to expand your practice and try something new.

📖 Mondays, September 14th - 21st, 6PM to 8PM ET
📖 Virtual
📖 Pay-what-you-can ($80 suggested)


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